


A Surprise Find In The Library

by SassyFlamingo2



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Bloody Kisses, Cute, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Glasses, Humor, Kissing, Libraries, Meet-Cute, Nosebleeds, One Shot, Owls, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Gestures, Short, Sylvain is a wonderful kisser, Unresolved Romantic Tension, book deliveries, steamy kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:20:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyFlamingo2/pseuds/SassyFlamingo2
Summary: Late one evening on a textbook delivery, Beccalynn Rochegne and her friend Artemis the elf owl walk into the aftereffects of a romantic spat of the one and only Sylvain Gautier, but what happens is something neither of them expects...
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	A Surprise Find In The Library

"Good Evening, Professor Hanneman."

The greyed professor glanced up in surprise as I entered the small darkened office, one eye stretched wide while the other was shadowed by the reflection of the candlelight in his monocle. The long white quill in his hand almost fell from his grasp as he turned around, a friendly smile curling his lips. "Good evening, Beccalynn. I wasn't expecting you at this hour."  
Feeling slightly ignored, the little ball of feathers perched on my left shoulder drew herself up to her full tiny height and let out a loud peep. Her mottled greyish tan chest feathers fluffed up, nearly hiding what little crease of a neck she had as the arched white feathers above her eyes drew down into the type of judgmental scowl that only a Elf Owl can give.

"And good evening to you as well, Artemis." The professor chuckled lightly as she settled back on my shoulder, squinting one pale yellow eye at him but satisfied for now.

"Here are the text books you ordered, sir" Lifting three leather bound volumes from my shoulder bag, I placed the books down on the one corner of his desk that wasn't swamped by the many papers that covered it like a blanket. With a quick glance, I easily saw that it was many of the lessons that he had assigned to his students now returned to be graded. Some papers were marked with his approval, some containing a few mistakes that he had pointed out with a few swipes of his quill, and then others like the one resting below his hand were almost completely wrong. Actually, I don't know how that one was even passing the class. "Silver Bridles were not used to tame the first Pegasus, that answer is false." I murmured.

"Pardon me but... Oh!" The professor looked down at his paper in complete surprise to see the my answer as the one that was correct to the question of how the first Pegasus was tamed according to the legend of the history text his students were currently studying in comparison to today's techniques. "Oh, yes. That is quite correct, however I'm afraid that some of my students haven't quite absorbed the entire details of our subject yet." He broke off with a sigh, turning to shuffle a pair of papers into a small homework packet for a different student. "I wish all of my students were as attentive as you, Beccalynn. I suppose there is still no chance that I could interest you into attending the academy? I would even sponsor your attendance myself if that is the problem."

"I'm very sorry sir, but I have to decline. My mother needs all my help running the shop after my father's death." Artemis quickly pecked at a loose strand of my hair, sensing the lie as it rolled off my tongue. The truth was that the bookshop was running along perfectly fine under my mother's guidance and with the new assistant that she had hired to leave me free to pursue my own interests, but the Officers Academy itself wasn't one of those. I had seen just how judgmental the nobles could be in town, and just the thought of encountering that suffocating arrogance would send me running away with a long scream.

I could feel the Professor's eyes watching me as I adjusted the large leather bag that dangled from my right shoulder to ensure that I hadn't missed anything else to give to him when he suddenly jolted up to his feet. "Blast! I'm late for my crest experiment. The students will be waiting for me, but I need to deliver those books to the library as well."

"I can take those for you, Professor. I remember exactly where it is located." Even though I've only visited the Academy a handful of times to deliver an order to the Professor, my Hyperthymesia could come in handy sometimes as I could recall exactly where the library was located down to the last book on the shelf.

A look of relief quickly flashed across his features. "Thank you very much, Beccalynn. I appreciate your generosity. We will speak with again soon." He actually looked as if he wanted to say something else, but gathered up a few assorted items from the inner drawers of his desk into a large black bag before he departed, leaving me to gather up the books once again.

"Chirp!" With a brush of her soft wings against my neck, Artemis fluttered down from my shoulder to land on the top of the books, scowling once again as her keen eyes met mine and resolutely refused to blink.

"Don't start." I warned her, sliding one of the thick volumes back into my back.

"CHEEP! CHEEP! Cha-Cheep-Cheep!" Her bill clicking sharply together added a slight pop to every little chirp, she was clearly displeased at my latest excuse. I really needed to come up with something better if she would continue to give me away like that. When I still wasn't paying her the attention she desired, she flapped her wings to try and make herself bigger, but it only made her nearly teeter off the back edge of the books if it hadn't been for her talons latching on to the spine of the textbook.

I rolled my eyes. She was so dramatic sometimes. At least she hadn't tried the fainting bit yet. "I know it would be a valuable learning experience, and yes it would be interesting, but the last thing I need is more people judging me." She fluttered aside as I shoved the last volume down into my bag slightly harder than necessary. It wasn't my fault that people were so easy to read, and they didn't seem to like it when I could catalogue every word, movement, and tick they made when asked, resulting in catching quite a few people in lies that they didn't want told. Plus, I was a commoner.

Even now, when I had entered the academy for the delivery, I could feel their scathing gaze searing over my plain cream tunic and brown trousers, judging the loose strands of my long mud brown hair because it was messily pulled up in a half bun that I had shoved up earlier. I sighed, pushing my thick glasses back up with my thumb. No, the officer's academy was no place for me.

Lifting Artemis to my shoulder, we walked to the library in the company of silence. The halls itself were quite empty, and I was assuming that since it was just after dinner, that most of the students were still quite busy eating. The librarian too it seemed as she was missing when we arrived. Artemis gave a curious chirp, twisting her head around in both directions as I stepped to the desk and signed a simple note detailing my activities here, the textbooks received, and where I would place them. Once finished, I headed towards the shelves with the full intent of placing the volumes in their proper locations.

Then I wasn't alone, two distinct voices along with the squeak of the door opening entered the room.

"You think I'd cheat on someone as lovely as yourself? Baby, please. You know I'd never do that." A voice distinctly male and smooth as silk crooned, his identity quickly popping to the front of my mind from a series of encounters in town. "You're the only one for me, I swear it."

"The only one? You're worse than I ever imagined!" The female voice wasn't familiar to me, but she screeched so loud that Artemis fluffed up her feathers in surprise. I pursed my lips, lifting a volume from my bag to shelve right between the History of Wyvern riding and a manual of how to care for a Wyvern with scale fungus. It slid right in without effort, the gold lettered binding gleaming slightly against it's dustier counterparts, and that's when I heard it. The distinctive smack of flesh meeting flesh.

"Owww! Baby! That's hurts!"

Artemis peeped, twisting her head around to try and see what was going on. The man was still groaning in pain as the woman screeched a few curses and stomped off, the heavy slam of the door heralding her exit. I shouldn't go. It was none of my business whatsoever as it was obviously a lover's spat turned nasty, but curiosity had settled in my thoughts like an incurable itch and I couldn't stand it any longer. Carefully stepping as not to make a sound, I tiptoed to the edge of the bookshelf and peered around, Artemis taking that as her cute to let loose an excited stream of twitters that sounded like a puppy was crying. "Shush!" I shouldn't have done it, but I gently pinched her little beak together with my forefinger and thumb. She scowled, her white eyebrow feathers dropping low over her eyes, and her dark pupils had contracted to tiny pinpricks that made it look like she might be thinking of my murder, but I turned my gaze back towards the man.

Luckily he was too lost in his own pain to notice either of us. Tall and handsome even with his features folded tight in pain, scarlet blood almost as vibrant as his short layered hair gushed from the injury and over his large hands cupped so neatly around his injured nose. A few stray droplets dripped down onto the gold and black uniform that identified him as a student of the Officer's academy. His serial womanizing attitude had drifted his name my way more than once, Sylvain Jose Gautier, heir to the Margrave Gautier, and he certainly wasn't the reason why a swarm of butterflies had blossomed in my stomach.

Artemis vibrated under my hand, her beak angrily stabbing at my finger for daring to silence her in such a manner, but the pain didn't really register as much as the misery present on his face. Releasing my feathered friend, she fluttered off my shoulder with a self righteous huff of having her dignity affronted to land somewhere above. I'd find her later and apologize, I couldn't leave the man to bleed to death after all.

Smoothing out the wrinkles of my tunic with a quick press of my hands and sucking in a deep breath to quiet my nerves, I adjusted my glasses and stepped out from my hiding spot. "Excuse me," Sylvain let out a nasal squawk of surprise, jumping back a few feet with wide eyes as I firmly took his arm with one hand and pushed him into the nearest chair, pinching the upper soft portion of his nostrils together between my forefinger and thumb and pressing back against his face with the other. "Sit here and lean forward, breathe slowly through your mouth."

"OW! Who're you?" He mumbled, his soft brown eyes flickering from side to side for an escape route when I started pushing his upper body to lean forward at the correct angle to allow the blood to drain out and not down his throat. It's rather funny, I've never heard any of the rumors talk about how the certain light picks up the tiny flecks of gold that glimmered in the depths of his irises. I wonder what color that would be called, it seemed like a mix between amber and honey. They're really beautiful up close. "This really hurts you know!"

"Shush! It's best to keep quiet when someone has a nosebleed." Carefully adjusting my fingers, I tentatively probed the area for signs of a break, but the cartilage and bone all felt whole beneath the swelling tissue that was quickly growing warm and puffy. That was a good sign at least.

"Well, I find it a little hard to be quiet in the presence of such a lovely beauty as yourself. Can I ask for your name?" He nasally drawled.

"It's Beccalynn Rochegne." I replied without really paying attention. Twisting to reach my left hand down into my bag, my fingers rummaged through the many side pockets and other items that I had stored inside, but none of them were the handkerchief that I knew was there. All I needed was to dab the blood away. Where was that... Ah-hah! The soft but slightly rough texture slid against my fingertips, and I quickly whipped it out and started to dab away the blood that dripped down his lips.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady. Welcome to the academy, my beautiful Becca." Squinting his left eye up in what I suppose was a flirty wink, he puckered up like a fish and tried to kiss my hand. I pulled away just as I felt the heat of his breath graze my skin, also releasing his nose with a flick of my wrist that left his twinkling eyes watering.

"It's Beccalynn and I'm not a student here, I was merely making a delivery of books to Professor Hanneman." Since Sylvain was trying to flirt, he must be fine. I reached out and took his hand, folding his fingers across the bridge of his nose again. "Hold those there and don't move."

He frowned, pinching his fingers together on his nose just like I told him too while I searched through my bag for anything that might work as a bandage and not that I was using it as an excuse to hide my slowly blushing cheeks. "A delivery? That means that you work in town? A total babe like you must be really popular because I don't think that we've had the pleasure of meeting before."

"We've met three times. You brushed shoulders with me twice while walking, and once you came into my shop." Not that I was counting every time a handsome stranger ignored me or anything.

The chair creaked as he squirmed about. "That can't be right because surely I would have noticed someone of your total gorgeousness."

"You were talking with another noblewoman each time."

"Oh..." The smoothness vanished from his tone for maybe a whole heartbeat, but then he was back in full form as he stood up and bowed forward at the waist. "Well, let me introduce myself as the-"

"You are Sylvain Jose Gautier, heir to the Margrave Gautier and the bearer of the crest of Gautier. You're a serial flirt with an wandering eye for women. You're currently ranked in the top portion of your class and are entrusted with the relic, the Lance of Ruin." Finally finding the small bandage I was looking for and a tin of herbal healing salve, I raised up to meet his eyes and started to swipe a small amount of the salve on his nose to reduce the swelling and future bruising.

He whistled out low and shrill, but the warm smile on his face chilled into a still friendly but more guarded look. "Hey, I'm starting to feel like a stud stallion because you know everything about me including my crest, but I don't know anything about you. I take it you're one of my secret admirers and you've been waiting for the day that we could meet heart to heart."

A thick lump of embarrassment tried to choke me as he aimed another kiss towards my hands, but I managed to finish spreading the salve across his nose before he caught me. "N-No! I just remember everything about everyone I meet. It doesn't matter if you're a noble with a crest or not. You're a person just like everyone else." Damn it! Why couldn't I just talk normally around him. My heart fluttered in my chest as Sylvain tried to reach for my hands again, this time capturing them and pressing a quick kiss to the bridge of my knuckles. His lips were soft, very soft and warm, and my cheeks flamed as I pretended to drop the bandage and pulled away again, bending over to pick up it just to have a reason to move away.

Sylvain chuckled lightly as a slight squawk and the soft flutter of nearly soundless wings signaled that someone else had arrived as well. "And who might this little fellow be? He certainly is a cute one." I closed my eyes, sucking in a deep breath to steady myself for the bloodshed to come. I had precisely three more bandages inside my bag, but that might not be enough if Artemis had her way.

"She is a female Elf Owl and her name is Artemis. I've raised her since she was a hatchling and I don't recommend trying to pet her because she doesn't like strange people and she-" I stood up to see the little traitor herself curled up beneath his chin, cooing happily with her head tilted all the way back and her round eyes completely closed while his finger scratched that special spot just under the thick ruff of her neck feathers. "-bites." I finished lamely.

"What a little cutie you are! Just so adorable and ferocious as a wonderful lady in your own right. You wouldn't bite Sylvain, now would you? No, you're just a beautiful little bird babe, aren't you?" He cooed and she was lapping every bit of it up. He raised his head, flashing that irresistible grin and a wink in my direction. "The ladies just love me."

That was completely true. Unfolding the bandage, the flush that blushed my cheeks burned hotter than ever as I secured the small section of bandage across his nose. He winched slightly as the tips of my fingers dragged along the sensitive injured surface of his skin. "Sorry, Archer's hands aren't the softest things." A slight uncomfortable chuckle died in my throat as he turned the full heated force of his gaze on me.

"No worries. The pain is as sweet as the kiss of love from a lovely one like yourself." Artemis fluttered away from her perch on his shoulder as he stood up, and I was surprised to see that I was looking up to meet his eyes. I hadn't realized how tall he was before, I wasn't that short for a woman, but he still loomed over me by a good few inches. The air suddenly seemed too thick to breath, the scent of his spice and musk cologne was swirling through my head in a way that made me dizzy, and I stepped back. The solid edge of a table bumped into my hip, throwing me off balance enough that I stumbled, and he casually caught me with one arm.

He pulls me against his broad chest, my hands flattening against the crisp white fabric of his shirt and half a dozen protests quickly flash through my mind, but it's all quieted by the warm heat leaking through the fabric from the firm muscles beneath, the hypnotic rise and fall of his breathing, and the slight feeling of his heart thudding against my palm just the slightest bit faster than it should. "Thank you very much for your kindness, Becca. I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart." He placed one finger beneath my chin, slighting angling my face up and to one side, and lightly brushed his lips over mine in a single teasing stroke.

Then he cupped his hand around my head and he kissed me again, and it wasn't a mere brush this time, but a kiss so deep that it drew me up to the tips of my toes. He tasted slightly of iron, a remainder of the blood that still clung to his lips, but there was something else that was so much sweeter. A quick flick of his tongue had my hands curling in the baby soft strands of scarlet hair at the base of his neck. The demands of air called much too soon and we broke apart, the deep honey-caramel of his eyes flickering like he wanted to say something else, but he didn't. "Um... y-your welcome." Like an idiot, I mumbled, My breathing just as shaky as my legs that suddenly didn't want to support me anymore.

"Whoa, uh... Yeah, baby. I guess I'll see you later." Sylvain hesitated for a moment, stepping back and folding one arm behind his head to scratch awkwardly at his neck, before he winked and flashed a jaunty wave of his hand as he walked away.

I watched him go, silently committing to memory the swagger in his step and the way his lips crinkled up just a little bit lopsided when he smiled. Sagging back against the table, my legs feeling like they weren't even connected to my body and my heart pounding in my chest like it was ready to burst through my ribs, but some part of my mind still refused to believe that of all people, Sylvain Gautier had just kissed me to the point of melting into a puddle.

The soft flutter of wings landed at my side, tiny razor sharp talons scratching against the wood surface for purchase as I glanced down to see Artemis perched beside my left hand. The small feathers around the corners of beak were drawn up into a smug smile, and her inky pupils were still half dilated from her previously blissful encounter. There's nothing worse than a smug owl, particularly Artemis, when she knows that she's right. "Don't look at me like that."

"Cheeeep!" She crooned like a lovesick young girl, longingly gazing in the direction of Sylvain's exit.

"Shut up!" I crossed my arms over my chest as she dissolved into a feathery ball of delighted owl cheeps. My cheeks were still flaming red, but I couldn't help but wonder one thing.

Perhaps Professor Hanneman would be still be willing to sponsor me at the Officer's Academy after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I had the prompt of surprise from my writing class along with the instruction to write it how your characters react to the unfamiliar situation, and I put up a poll on my DA to see what rarely used and very dusty couple my readers would be interested in seeing, and my Fire emblem OC Beccalynn and Sylvain were the winners. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the short story! <3
> 
> Disclaimer:   
> Sylvain and all elements belong to Fire emblem: Three Houses  
> Beccalynn and Artemis belong to me.  
> You belong to Sylvain.


End file.
